Compost is such a basic thing for many gardeners that it can sometimes be hard to find information on what goes into a compost pile, or more importantly what doesn't go into a compost pile. I'm going to be providing some general guidelines as to what you want to put into a compost pile and what you don't.
What goes into a compost pile
The most common answer you will get for what to put into a compost pile is plant material. This can be dead plants from the garden, dead weeds, fall leaves, grass clippings, wood shavings, straw, hay, shredded newspaper, twigs, peat moss, cotton seed meal, soybean meal, kelp meal, alfalfa meal, manure, etc.
The list of common things to add can get big quite fast. Yet there are a few lesser known things that work real well.
You can add eggshells, crab shells and oyster shells. Just let them dry then crush them and put them on the compost pile. They'll provide plenty of calcium as they break down which the plants in your garden will absorb and will end up in the food you eat.
Seaweed works great in the garden. If you live near the ocean you can collect seaweed and just hose off the salt, then add it to the pile, it will add various micronutrients that are good for plants. Even if you don't live near the ocean you can buy kelp meal to get the same micronutrients that are so beneficial.
Now what shouldn't go into compost. Don't add meat or fresh bones, they'll take a long time to break down and will attract animals. Bones can be added when they're dried and ground up or just buy some bone meal to get the same nutrients.
Don't add the leaves of Black Walnut, Eucalyptus or Laurel. These plants have compounds that inhibit growth in the soil.
Don't add seeds. Seeds from weeds might germinate in the garden if they're in the compost, it's best to avoid adding seeds.
What goes into a compost pile is basically plant materials, with a few exceptions. Now go out build yourself a pile and start reaping all the benefits of compost.
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